(IF YOU GOT THE EMAIL VERSION OF THIS LETTER, THIS POST IS IDENTICAL)
This is becoming an annual thing – to email our Christmas letter rather than mailing. I hope you don’t mind, but here we go again.
2007 has been a good year for the Fosters. I hope it has been the same in your house.
Both boys played t-ball in the spring. It was Owen’s first year and he enjoyed it. I think the highlight of the year for him was opening day, riding in the parade and tossing candy out to the folks standing on the sidewalks. The field his league played on was the size of the infield for the bigger kids. It was so much fun to watch the kids all swarm to the spot on the field where the ball was hit, regardless of where their position was. Even if their position 1st base and the ball was hit to left-field, they were going to go after it. Everyone except for my laid-back Owen, he would sit and watch the ball roll by him, turn his head but never move his feet and watch the other kids all chase the ball. I guess he figured it wasn’t worth the fight with all the other kids to try to get the ball. Riley had a fun season too although to him it was just a past-time until football started in the fall. He really didn’t understand why they have 2 seasons of t-ball and only 1 of football. Why can’t he play football in the spring? Unfortunately Riley ended up on a not-so-great baseball team with a not-so-great coach but still managed to make some new friends and improve on his game. We’re looking forward to a much better season next spring!
Riley finished up Kindergarten in the spring and was excited to head into summer. We headed to Jekyll Island in July using Mom and Dad’s camper for a budget-friendly vacation and a week of fun at the beach. The boys loved the ocean – Riley more than Owen but by the end of the week Owen was jumping over waves too. After nearly 3 years as a contractor at NS (and becoming an employee in January ‘07) it was great to be able to relax for a paid vacation for a full week. Lots of memories were made and fun times had at the beach.
The summer went by way to fast but ended with great news – our house in Rex had finally sold! We closed on it the first week in August and to make it that much sweeter, the young man and first time home-owner who bought the house felt he was getting his “dream house.” What a relief it was to be done with that monthly burden! We had to look back and acknowledge that we never would have predicted we could have carried two mortgages for 14 months. On paper we couldn’t, but with God’s help we did. We are blessed!
Before we knew it, school started back. Riley headed into first grade and Owen into his first year of preschool (2 days a week at a local church). Riley was not as excited as he had been starting Kindergarten but still jumped right in and made new friends and has done great. It is so cool to watch him curl up in his room and read a book now or listen to him read to me a story he’s brought home from school. He’s doing great academically and with his behavior and has really liked his new teacher. Football started up in late-August. Unlike baseball, he ended up on a great team with excellent coaches. What an exciting season! In the end his team took home the Super Bowl Trophy for the Henry County Youth Football League, Mighty-Mite Division. Go Red Raiders! I pray we can play with the same group of parents and coaches next year. Although the league is very strict about ‘stacking’ teams and allow the coaches to only freeze 2 players on their team from the previous year (usually it’s their own sons) so we hope we can end up with Coach Robbie and Coach Carrie again in 2008. Another big feat for Riley in 2007 was conquering a 2-wheeler. He now rides free of any training wheels and is getting more daring each time he jumps on the bike.
Owen has enjoyed preschool. He goes twice a week to Locust Grove Methodist. The same place Riley went for 4-year pre-k. He has done well although he is not the social kid that Riley is, he has gone willingly everyday, never any crying or protesting but not really excited about it either. A few weeks ago, Lance did ask him what his favorite part of the school day was, expecting him to say snack time or the playground. His reply, “Going home.” I think that about sums up his feelings on school. After the excitement of Riley’s football season, Owen is now excited to start back with t-ball. He is my lefty and so we’ll see where that takes him in his baseball career. I think he may be the slugger of the family. Owen is a great helper and always right with Lance or I when we are working on a project and need some help. He loves to help me with dinner, makes coffee every morning with Lance, loves to help him in the garden and is right on his heels if he pulls out a toolbox to fix anything.
I’ve enjoyed this year as an NS employee, especially the perks (did I mention I get PAID vacation!) and they are very generous to let me work from home if there is something at the boys school I want to attend. Although I did not do a half-marathon this year (did my first in 2006), I still enjoy running daily during my lunch break and ran 400+ miles so far this year. Most of all I enjoy spending time with my family and look forward to my evenings at home and weekends with my boys. I did start a new blog last month and so I hope to maintain a journal that the boys can have as a keepsake of their childhood when they grow up.
2007 has been a good year for the Fosters. I hope it has been the same in your house.
Both boys played t-ball in the spring. It was Owen’s first year and he enjoyed it. I think the highlight of the year for him was opening day, riding in the parade and tossing candy out to the folks standing on the sidewalks. The field his league played on was the size of the infield for the bigger kids. It was so much fun to watch the kids all swarm to the spot on the field where the ball was hit, regardless of where their position was. Even if their position 1st base and the ball was hit to left-field, they were going to go after it. Everyone except for my laid-back Owen, he would sit and watch the ball roll by him, turn his head but never move his feet and watch the other kids all chase the ball. I guess he figured it wasn’t worth the fight with all the other kids to try to get the ball. Riley had a fun season too although to him it was just a past-time until football started in the fall. He really didn’t understand why they have 2 seasons of t-ball and only 1 of football. Why can’t he play football in the spring? Unfortunately Riley ended up on a not-so-great baseball team with a not-so-great coach but still managed to make some new friends and improve on his game. We’re looking forward to a much better season next spring!
Riley finished up Kindergarten in the spring and was excited to head into summer. We headed to Jekyll Island in July using Mom and Dad’s camper for a budget-friendly vacation and a week of fun at the beach. The boys loved the ocean – Riley more than Owen but by the end of the week Owen was jumping over waves too. After nearly 3 years as a contractor at NS (and becoming an employee in January ‘07) it was great to be able to relax for a paid vacation for a full week. Lots of memories were made and fun times had at the beach.
The summer went by way to fast but ended with great news – our house in Rex had finally sold! We closed on it the first week in August and to make it that much sweeter, the young man and first time home-owner who bought the house felt he was getting his “dream house.” What a relief it was to be done with that monthly burden! We had to look back and acknowledge that we never would have predicted we could have carried two mortgages for 14 months. On paper we couldn’t, but with God’s help we did. We are blessed!
Before we knew it, school started back. Riley headed into first grade and Owen into his first year of preschool (2 days a week at a local church). Riley was not as excited as he had been starting Kindergarten but still jumped right in and made new friends and has done great. It is so cool to watch him curl up in his room and read a book now or listen to him read to me a story he’s brought home from school. He’s doing great academically and with his behavior and has really liked his new teacher. Football started up in late-August. Unlike baseball, he ended up on a great team with excellent coaches. What an exciting season! In the end his team took home the Super Bowl Trophy for the Henry County Youth Football League, Mighty-Mite Division. Go Red Raiders! I pray we can play with the same group of parents and coaches next year. Although the league is very strict about ‘stacking’ teams and allow the coaches to only freeze 2 players on their team from the previous year (usually it’s their own sons) so we hope we can end up with Coach Robbie and Coach Carrie again in 2008. Another big feat for Riley in 2007 was conquering a 2-wheeler. He now rides free of any training wheels and is getting more daring each time he jumps on the bike.
Owen has enjoyed preschool. He goes twice a week to Locust Grove Methodist. The same place Riley went for 4-year pre-k. He has done well although he is not the social kid that Riley is, he has gone willingly everyday, never any crying or protesting but not really excited about it either. A few weeks ago, Lance did ask him what his favorite part of the school day was, expecting him to say snack time or the playground. His reply, “Going home.” I think that about sums up his feelings on school. After the excitement of Riley’s football season, Owen is now excited to start back with t-ball. He is my lefty and so we’ll see where that takes him in his baseball career. I think he may be the slugger of the family. Owen is a great helper and always right with Lance or I when we are working on a project and need some help. He loves to help me with dinner, makes coffee every morning with Lance, loves to help him in the garden and is right on his heels if he pulls out a toolbox to fix anything.
I’ve enjoyed this year as an NS employee, especially the perks (did I mention I get PAID vacation!) and they are very generous to let me work from home if there is something at the boys school I want to attend. Although I did not do a half-marathon this year (did my first in 2006), I still enjoy running daily during my lunch break and ran 400+ miles so far this year. Most of all I enjoy spending time with my family and look forward to my evenings at home and weekends with my boys. I did start a new blog last month and so I hope to maintain a journal that the boys can have as a keepsake of their childhood when they grow up.
Lance had some great success this year with his photography in the art sector. He entered and placed in several photo contests. As a result of one of those contests he was able to sale one of his photographs that was showing in a gallery in Atlanta. This is the side of photography that is really his passion so he’s looking for more opportunities like these for next year. Staying home with our two boys doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for these things, but he has made it work (try cutting mats and glass with a very “helpful” 3 year-old by your side.) He’s also taken on keeping his brother’s youngest daughter, Kaylee, each day. She’s a year younger than Owen and she and him have become best pals as they now see each other daily. Lance’s big project over the Spring/Summer was his garden. He grew several herbs, squash, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, pop-corn and several varieties of peppers. The deer made off with some of it, but didn’t take too much so there was plenty left for us to eat. He decided not to do a winter garden but will be back at it again in the spring assuming this drought is some better here in Georgia.
2007 has been good and we are looking forward to more blessings in 2008.
We wish the same for you and your family.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Heidi, Lance, Riley and Owen
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